One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action in a meaty, dramatically satisfying pie that delivers on the hype and will surprise many who felt the Hong Kong helmer progressively lost his mojo during his long years stateside. Pic may, however, disappoint those looking for simply a costume retread of his kinetic, ’80s H.K. classics.

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Film is pitched more at an older demographic than traditional Asian youth auds, and the July 10 release (in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea) faces heavy competition from other summer titles after its first frame. But robust initial returns point to the two-parter putting black ink on most investors’ ledgers – apart, maybe, from Japanese investor Avex, who bankrolled more than half the budget. Non-Asian returns look to be much smaller, especially as in the West the whole 4 1/2-hour movie will be available only in a single, 2 1/2-hour version that could end up losing much of the character detail that motors the production.

Detailing an incident familiar to auds throughout Asia, the script by Woo and three other writers mixes elements from history (as recorded in a third-century chronicle by Chen Shou), the freely fictionalized classic “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” by 14th-century scribe Luo Guanzhong and their own filmic imagination into a dramatic stew that has engendered beaucoup debate among Asian specialists and auds who already have their own ideas about the characters from multiple comicbook treatments, TV drama series and school textbooks. However, given that these often contradict each other – even down to details of who were the good and bad guys — pic always faced an uphill battle pleasing everyone.

But the picture indisputably works on its own terms. Though this first part is a long warm-up to the part two naval battle on the Yangtze River that saw the forces of the North rebuffed by those of the South, it contains more than enough action and drama to justify its length, as well as a cliffhanger ending that leaves auds hungry for more.

Yarn opens in summer AD 208, with prime minister-cum-general Cao Cao (powerful mainland Chinese vet Zhang Fengyi) asking permission from Han dynasty Emperor Xian (Wang Ning) to lead an expedition south to take on “rebellious” warlords Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Taiwan thesp Chang Chen). Jittery mood in the imperial court sets the stage for the political machinations that marble the whole movie — and forecasts the period of turmoil, known as the Three Kingdoms, that followed the imminent collapse of the 400-year-old Han dynasty.

Socko 20-minute action sequence, as Cao Cao’s massive army sweeps south and meets Liu’s forces in the Battle of Changban, establishes the gritty, chaotic tone of the movie’s land warfare. Cool, almost grungy color processing, and action that’s exaggerated but not manga-like, are underpinned by ace art director Tim Yip’s realistic costumes and design. There’s no clear sense of geography in the skirmishes, but maybe that’s the point.

The appearance, 40 minutes in, of toplined Leung (a last-minute replacement for Chow Yun-fat) adds some real emotional heft to the drama. Though not the most physically imposing thesp in the cast, Leung is easily the subtlest, and the character’s musical interests add extra layers to what, until then, has been simply a sturdy historical actioner.

Main cast has few weak links and traverses all shades of character. Zhang and Leung dominate the movie, while Kaneshiro is fine as wily strategist Zhuge and Zhao adds welcome humor as the feisty princess. Chang is a tad lightweight in such company as the wimpish Sun, and Taiwanese super-model Lin Chi-ling mostly decorative as Zhou’s wife. Multitude of colorful supports is led by Mongolian actor Basenzabu as a warrior who’s a one-man moving mountain.

Version caught in South Korea (cut by local distrib-investor Showbox) was nine minutes shorter than that shown in Chinese-speaking territories, with a couple scenes shortened, including a calligraphy sequence prior to Zhou making love to his wife. Japanese version, to be released later this year, will also be shorter than Woo’s 140-minute cut.

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One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]

One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]

One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]

One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]

One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]

One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]

One of the most ballyhooed Asian productions in recent history, and the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever, John Woo’s costume actioner “Red Cliff” scales the heights. First seg of the two-part, $80 million historical epic — with “The Battle of Red Cliff” to follow in late January — balances character, grit, spectacle and visceral action […]